The Federal Government has announced that another group of Nigerians being evacuated from South Africa is expected to arrive in the country on Tuesday as authorities continue efforts to safeguard citizens amid concerns over possible xenophobic attacks.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed the development in an interview on Monday, confirming that an Air Peace aircraft departed Nigeria on Monday to bring back another batch of voluntary returnees.
According to Ebienfa, the flight left Nigeria at 3:00 p.m. on Monday and was scheduled to arrive in South Africa at approximately 9:00 p.m. local time. The return journey is expected to commence at 12:00 a.m., with the aircraft arriving at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday morning.
The evacuation exercise comes ahead of planned anti-immigrant protests expected to begin in South Africa on June 30, prompting the Federal Government to continue its voluntary evacuation programme for Nigerians wishing to return home.
Ebienfa advised Nigerians who choose to remain in South Africa to remain calm, stay alert, and avoid areas where demonstrations are taking place.
He also urged citizens to maintain regular contact with the Nigerian High Commission for updates and safety information.
The latest evacuation forms part of the initiative approved earlier this month by President Bola Tinubu to facilitate the voluntary return of Nigerians from South Africa.
On June 7, the Federal Government approved five evacuation flights operated by Air Peace after more than 500 Nigerians registered and were screened for the exercise.
Before the current operation, 328 Nigerians had already been evacuated in two batches. The first flight, which arrived on June 11, brought back 262 returnees, while a second flight landed in Lagos on June 25 with 66 more Nigerians.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the evacuation exercise is being coordinated in partnership with Air Peace and other relevant government agencies.
Earlier, the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria advised Nigerians living in South Africa to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from protest locations, and remain vigilant, while the Federal Government said it continues to work closely with South African authorities to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians residing in the country.
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